What are vaccine-preventable diseases? Each year, a new vaccine must be prepared that will be effective against the types of influenza viruses that are expected to circulate in the upcoming flu season. These are known as seasonal flu vaccines. Vaccine-preventable diseases are those diseases for which there is a shot that helps the immune system...
Why do people need vaccines? What is immunization? What is immunity? Share Your Story Vaccines are medications that boost our ability to fight off certain diseases. Many of the vaccine-preventable diseases are highly contagious and even fatal in non-immunized individuals (Table 1). Prior to the development of vaccines, these diseases disabled or killed millions of...
Chagas disease (kissing bug disease) facts Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Chagas disease is an infection caused by a protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) that can result in acute inflammatory skin changes (chagomas) and may eventually cause infection and inflammation of many other body tissues, especially those of the heart and intestinal tract. Chagas disease...
Enterovirus facts Enteroviruses are small RNA viruses that can cause illnesses such as colds, meningitis, hand, foot and mouth disease, hypoxia (decreased blood oxygen levels), hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, myopericarditis, rashes, herpangina, pleurodynia, respiratory infections, and infrequently, paralysis. There have been several outbreaks of enterovirus infections; an outbreak in August 2014 occurred due to the strain named...
Amoxicillin (amox-clav) vs. Augmentin comparison of differences Amoxicillin and Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate, amox-clav) are antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections including sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and infections of the skin. Amoxicillin and Augmentin both belong to the penicillin drug class. A difference is that Augmentin is a combination medication that also contains...
What is loracarbef, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Loracarbef is a synthetic oral antibiotic in the cephalosporin family of antibiotics. The cephalosporin family includes cephalexin (Keflex), cefaclor (Ceclor), cefuroxime (Zinacef), cefpodoxime (Vantin), cefprozil (Cefzil), and many injectable antibiotics. Like other cephalosporins, loracarbef stops bacteria from multiplying by preventing bacteria from forming the...
What is Acanthamoeba? <a href="../script/main/submit-patient-comments.asp?questionid=6064" title="Please share your experience with an Acanthamoeba infection.” onclick=”wmdTrack(‘pc-drv-share’);” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow ugc”>Share Your Story Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living ameba (single-celled living organism) commonly found in the environment that can cause rare, but severe, illness. Acanthamoeba causes three main types of illness involving the eye (Acanthamoeba keratitis), the brain and...
Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) facts* *Viral hemorrhagic fever facts by Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD Viral hemorrhagic fevers are defined as a group of illnesses caused by different families of viruses that cause vascular damage that results in symptomatic bleeding (hemorrhage). For example, Arenaviridae cause Lassa fever (Lassa virus), Argentine hemorrhagic fever (Junin virus), and...
What is leprosy? Share Your Story Leprosy, also termed Hansen's disease, is a chronic infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, a rod-shaped organism that stains reddish when an acid-fast stain is applied. Historians suggest leprosy was recognized as a disease as early as 600 BC; because of the disfigurement of individuals with untreated leprosy,...
What is scarlet fever? Share Your Story Scarlet fever (also termed scarlatina) is an illness characterized by a bright red rash that can cover most of the body and is caused by a toxin secreted by group A streptococci, a type of gram-positive coccus-shaped (round) bacteria. Scarlet fever usually occurs in individuals that have had...